diff --git a/exp/runtime/topologymutation/errors.go b/exp/runtime/topologymutation/errors.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ccd574ba9cfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exp/runtime/topologymutation/errors.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2024 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package topologymutation
+
+import (
+	patchvariables "sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/patches/variables"
+)
+
+// IsNotFoundError checks if the passed error is a notFoundError.
+// It exposes same function in internal package so that user can directly call.
+func IsNotFoundError(err error) bool {
+	return patchvariables.IsNotFoundError(err)
+}
diff --git a/exp/runtime/topologymutation/variables.go b/exp/runtime/topologymutation/variables.go
index 8103f66fb7f8..1b7941217a84 100644
--- a/exp/runtime/topologymutation/variables.go
+++ b/exp/runtime/topologymutation/variables.go
@@ -60,13 +60,8 @@ func GetBoolVariable(templateVariables map[string]apiextensionsv1.JSON, variable
 		return false, err
 	}
 
-	// Unquote the JSON string.
-	stringValue, err := strconv.Unquote(string(value.Raw))
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
 	// Parse the JSON bool.
-	boolValue, err := strconv.ParseBool(stringValue)
+	boolValue, err := strconv.ParseBool(string(value.Raw))
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
diff --git a/exp/runtime/topologymutation/variables_test.go b/exp/runtime/topologymutation/variables_test.go
index b62a715cf833..dbcb23fb2ed8 100644
--- a/exp/runtime/topologymutation/variables_test.go
+++ b/exp/runtime/topologymutation/variables_test.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 	apiextensionsv1 "k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1"
-	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 
 	patchvariables "sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/patches/variables"
 )
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func Test_GetStringTemplateVariable(t *testing.T) {
 func Test_GetBoolVariable(t *testing.T) {
 	g := NewWithT(t)
 
-	varA := apiextensionsv1.JSON{Raw: toJSON("true")}
+	varA := apiextensionsv1.JSON{Raw: []byte(`true`)}
 	tests := []struct {
 		name                  string
 		variables             map[string]apiextensionsv1.JSON
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ func Test_GetVariableObjectWithNestedType(t *testing.T) {
 			expectedErr:           false,
 			object:                &Network{},
 			expectedVariableObject: Network{
-				Ipv6Primary: pointer.Bool(true),
+				Ipv6Primary: ptr.To(true),
 				AddressesFromPools: &[]AddressesFromPool{
 					{
 						Name: "name",